Emergency Relief

Nagore: 09th November 2006. It is celebration time for the hapless tsunami victims of the chilladi village near Nagore. For those who lost everything when Killer Tsunami struck them, two years back, it is dream come true. Yes. Today they have become happy owners of brand new homes.

By the grace of God and with the active co-operation of the Tamil Nadu Government and its agencies along with the help of Muslim Aid a UK based charity organization Islamic Foundation Trust (IFT), Chennai has achieved the gigantic feat of conceiving, constructing and distributing 100 homes to the tsunami victims.

The Event: The keys of the newly constructed houses were distributed to the victims in a simple function arranged here at the auditorium of the G.S. Pillay college of Engineering at Thethi village. Mr. Ebrahimsa Muhammad, Advisor to Muslim Aid gave away the keys to the beneficiaries. First came Akber Ali and then Tajuddin followed by Kaliappan and others.

The Chief Guest: Dr. Abdul Huq Ansari, President of the Human Welfare Trust, New Delhi inaugurated the function organized to commemorate the distribution of 100 homes to the tsunami victims. In his inaugural address he highlighted the stress and importance given to the social service in Islamic teachings. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has clearly stated the “the best among you is the one who is kind to every human being”. We should strive to serve the entire humanity, he opined.Dr. Abdul Huq Ansari represents several organizations of India. He is an erudite scholar and professor from Rabindranath Tagore’s Vishwa Bharathi University. He has done his Masters from Havard University of U.S.A .

Guest of honour: Mr Ibrahimsa Muhammad Advisor Muslim Aid, U.K., was the guest of honour at the function arranged to commemorate the distribution of houses to the tsunami victims. He handed over the keys of the houses to Mr Gopal DRO and representative of the district collector and a high ranking official as a symbolic gesture.

In his address Mr Ibrahimsa Muhammad appreciated the work done by IFT and expressed hope that IFT would continue building homes and hopes to the destitutes and neglected segments of the society. Mr Ibrahimsa introduced the mission and activities of Muslim Aid briefly.

The Houses: Mr. H. Abdur Raqeeb Chairman, Islamic Foundation Trust in his presidential address appealed to the people to make the new colony a model village. He also highlighted the significant features of the houses. The cluster of 100 houses spread over six acres of land has been constructed at the cost of Rs.Two and half crores. The land has been provided by the Government of Tamil Nadu and major chunk of funding has been done by Muslim Aid, U.K., Mr. Abdur Raqeeb said.

Each and every house has been constructed in 400 sq. feet area in a 1300 sq. feet plot. It comprises of a drawing room, a hall, a bed room, kitchen and bathroom with stair case to the terrace. A spacious veranda and sit out is an added attraction, elaborated, Mr. Abdur Raqeeb.
The cluster of houses presents a glorious spectacle with the line up of similar looking, beautifully crafted and neatly painted glittering houses dotting the lines. The newly formed colony has been named aptly Samarasam Nagar. Samarasam means peace and harmony, he said.

The message: We could easily build houses with bricks, sand and stone. But homes could be built only through love alone. So I appeal the people to make the new colony a model village in which there will be harmony, peace, love and brotherhood to the core. We dream and aspire that the inhabitants of this new colony would give paramount importance to education and attain and maintain 100% literacy. We dream and aspire that the inhabitants of this new colony in the shores of Bay of Bengal would observe and practice all the good things, noble virtues and gentle qualities. We dream and aspire that the inhabitants of this new colony would abhor and detest all the evil things like drinking alcohol and drugs etc. I especially appeal the inhabitants of this new colony to make this nagar as a model colony, unique and exemplary colony amongst all those colonies which have sprouted up along the eastern coast of our state. We pray Almighty that they become self-sufficient and lead a noble life, Mr. Abdur Raqeeb stressed.

The role models: The highlight of the presidential speech is the passionate introduction of two selfless souls as true role models to those in the field of social service to the august gathering. They were Mr Ibrahimsa Muhammad of Muslim Aid and Mr Younus Bhai of Parangipettai. Both were present at the dais. Mr Raqeeb extolled the virtues of Ibrahimsa and Younus Bhai. ‘ We are happy that Mr. Ebrahimsa Muhammad of Muslim Aid is amongst us at this pleasant occasion. I am privileged to introduce him as a role-model for simplicity and social service. I would like to inform this august gathering that Muslim Aid has been recognised by the World Bank as an exemplary service organisation and has been assigned a mammoth World Bank project of constructing scores of homes in the tsunami ravaged Indonesia. I request Muslim Aid to have a regional office in India also and we assure all the help and assistance in this regard, he said.

Deputy High Commissioner greets: The Deputy High Commissioner of British Deputy High Commission, Chennai Mr. Mike Connor was not able to attend this event due to some other engagements. However he conveyed his heartfelt greetings for the success of the event through his personal assistant Ms Srividhya Srivathsan through an email addressed to Mr. H. Abdur Raqeeb, Chairman, Islamic Foundation Trust.

Muslim Aid a UK based charity organization has been rendering social service in more than 60 countries spread over the four continents. Muslim Aid has been recognized as an exemplary service organization and has been assigned a mammoth World Bank project of constructing hundreds and hundreds of homes to the victims of tsunami in Indonesia.

ISLAMIC FOUNDATION TRUST (IFT),Chennai swung into action on that fateful day of Dec 26th 2004 when Tsunami struck the coastal line of Tamilnadu and immediately started its Relief activities forming four hubs at Chennai, Cuddalore, Nagore and Kanyakumari.. IFT’s volunteers spread out to different places and worked day and night to provide immediate relief to the affected. They distributed Relief Kits containing essential items including stoves, tarpaulins, bedsheets, provision items etc. The women volunteers joined their male colleagues in counselling the affected at the relief camps.

ISLAMIC FOUNDATION TRUST (IFT) also constructed One Hundred (100) Temporary Shelters with necessary facilities for the victims at a land offered by the government near the collectorate in Nagore besides providing books, school bags etc to the affected students.
It also provided 16 boats to the people affected at Jameelabad in Pazhaverkadu near Ponneri, a place nearly 30 kms away from Chennai.

Img 0531 jpg Mr H Abdur Raqeeb IFT and Mr Ibrahimsa Muhammad Muslim Aid give the keys of all the houses to Mr Gopal DRO, representative of the district collector who will allocate the houses to the tsunami victims. (also seen in the picture are Mr Marimuthu MLA Dr Abdul Huq Ansari Human Welfare Trust of New Delhi and Mr Abdur Rahim Patel of Bhatkal Muslim Majlis)

Img 0529 jpg Mr H Abdur Raqeeb IFT and Mr Ibrahimsa Muhammad Muslim Aid give the keys of all the houses to Mr Gopal DRO and representative of the district collector who will allocate the houses to the tsunami victims. (also seen in the picture are Mr Marimuthu MLA and Dr Abdul Huq Ansari of Human welfare Trust of New delhi)

ISLAMIC FOUNDATION TRUST DISTRIBUTES 100 HOMES TO TSUNAMI VICTIMS
The dawn of a new colony in the shores of Bay of Bengal

Let us make Samarasam Nagar a model village!

H. Abdur Raqeeb

Chairman, Islamic Foundation Trust

( The Following is the text of the presidential speech delivered by Mr. H. Abdur Raqeeb, chairman, Islamic Foundation Trust, Chennai at the function organised to commemorate the distribution of 100 homes to the tsunami victims on 9th November 2006 at 10.30 A.M at G.S. Pillay Engineering College, Thethi village, Nagore, Nagapattinam)

I t is celebration time for the hapless tsunami victims of the chilladi village. For those who lost everything when Killer Tsunami struck them two years back, it is dream come true. Yes. Today they would become happy owners of brand new houses.

By the grace of God and with the active co-operation of the Tamil Nadu Government and its agencies along with the help of Muslim Aid, a UK based charity organisation Islamic Foundation Trust (IFT) has constructed these 100 homes. The cluster of 100 houses spread over six acres of land has been constructed at the cost of Rs.Two and half (2.5) crores. The land has been provided by the Government of Tamil Nadu and major funding has been done by Muslim Aid, a charity organization based in United Kingdom. Apartfrom Muslim Aid, other NGOs, institutions and welfare associations also participated. We are indebted to The Government of Tamil Nadu, Muslim Aid, and other NGOs.

We also thank profusely to Br. Abdur Raheem Patil from Bhatkal. Through his help we constructed nine houses.

We also thank our chief Guest Dr. Abdul Huq Ansari who has come all the way from Delhi to participate in this momentous occasion. Dr. Abdul Huq Ansari represents several organisations of India. He is also the president of the Human Welfare Trust, Delhi and chairman of Islamic Academy. He is an erudite scholar and professor from Rabindranath Tagore’s Vishwa Bharathi University. He has done his masters from Havard University of USA. A scholar, a visionery, a social activist, we are immensely pleased that he is here amidst us at this historic occasion.

Each and every house has been constructed in 400 sq. feet area in a 1300 sq. feet plot. It comprises a drawing room, a hall, a bed room, kitchen, toilet and bathroom with stair case to the terrace. A spacious verandah and sit out is an added attraction.The Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage department (TWAD) has constructed an elegant overhead tank with a capacity of 30,000litres of drinking water and has provided a street pipe for every fifteen (15) houses. The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) has provided prompt domestic connection and has also erected twenty eight street lamp posts.

The beneficiaries have been allotted the houses through draw. Steps have been taken to insure the buildings from natural calamities through United India Insurance company for the period of ten years for the amount of Rs.Two lakhs.

The cluster of houses presents a glorious spectacle with the line up of similar looking, beautifully crafted and neatly painted glittering houses dotting the lines. The newly formed colony has been provided with a park and a play ground for the children with all the required facilities too. The colony has been named aptly Samarasam Nagar. Samarasam means peace and harmony.

We hope and believe that this Samarasam Nagar will be a model village, in which there will be harmony, peace, love and brotherhood to the core. We dream and aspire that the inhabitants of this new colony would give paramount importance to education and attain and maintain 100% literacy. We dream and aspire that the inhabitants of this new colony in the shores of Bay of Bengal would observe and practise all the good things, noble virtues and gentle qualities. We dream and aspire that the inhabitants of this new colony would abhor and detest all the evil things like drinking alcohol etc. We pray Almighty that they become self-sufficient and lead a noble life.

I especially appeal the inhabitants of this new colony to make this nagar as a model colony, unique and exemplary colony amongst all those colonies which have sprouted up along the eastern coast of our state. I also seek the blessings & co-operations of the District Collector, M.L.A., and other town people to patronize and prepare the inhabitants to achieve the goal.

Tomorrow we have planned to lay the foundation for fifty homes at Kottakuppam near Pondicherry. Already we have constructed and distributed five homes to the tsunami victims in Thirumullai vasal near Cuddalore and fifteen homes at Ahmed Nagar near Kalpakkam.

The Tamil Nadu Relief Committee, our sister organisation had constructed one hundred temporary shelters for the tsunami victims at a land offered by the TN Government in Nagore. Seven Thousand families were provided with relief material and kits. As a part of rehabilitation programme sixteen (16) fibre boats fitted with motors costing Rs. twenty two lakhs alongwith fishing nets were provided to the fishermen of Jameelabad near Chennai.

Medical care and educational aid were provided for scores of people. Livelihood schemes were undertaken on a priority basis in several places of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Kanchipuram districts. I would like to mention the service rendered by our lady volunteers during those gloomy days. In those days when the wounds were aching and the pain was unbearable our lady volunteers from far away places such as Coimbatore and Kumbakonam rendered a memorable service. They offered counselling to the victims and helped them to overcome the grief. Their soothing words and soul stirring prayers mellowed the hearts and proved to be a boon to the grief-stricken souls. It was widely acclaimed by the art of living people and officials at the collectorate.

At this pleasant occasion we have invited Janab Muhammad Younus of Parangipettai who is a role-model for all of us. We are immensely pleased that Younus Bhai has been elected as the Chairman of the Parangipettai Punchayat Union. We wish him success and May his tribe increase!

When Tsunami struck this part of the world, the Muslims of Nagore swung into action and spearheaded many relief activities. The Nagore Dargah became an important relief centre for the whole area. Countless selfless volunteers thronged the place and served the victims in their own way. We appreciate the works done by all the NGOs who did yeoman service. We are grateful to the State Government, the Collectorate, the governmental agencies, the Panchayat officials for their unstinting co-operation and patronage. Mr. Nizamuddin Ex. M.L.A was always helpful to us in all our endeavours.

We are happy that Mr. Ebrahimsa Muhammad of Muslim Aid is amongst us at this pleasant occasion. I am privileged to introduce him as a role-model for simplicity and social service. I would like to inform this august gathering that Muslim Aid has been recognised by the World Bank as an exemplary service organisation and has been assigned a mammooth world bank project of constructing scores of homes in the tsunami ravaged Indonesia. I request Muslim Aid to have a regional office in India also and we assure all the help and assistance in this regard.

A number of NGOs like Basheeruddin Babu khan Trust, Hyderabad, Southern India Educational Trust, Chennai, Tamil Nadu Muslim Graduates Association, Chennai, Zakath Foundation of India, Ideal Relief Wing of Kerala, ICNA of Canada and various state units of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind have rendered help and assistance in our project. We are thankful to them. Our heartful thanks to Sri Ram Science & Arts College, Pollachi and number of individuals and institutions who helped us to distribute the relief and co-ordinate the efforts.

I place on record their support and pray Almighty to shower His utmost blessings upon them and I pray for the health and happiness of all of them. They were the noble souls who came to the rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the tsunami victims.

I once again wish and pray that this Samarasam Nagar will blossom into a model village and prove to be a beacon of light and guidance to everybody.

Foundation stone laying ceremony held

Islamic Foundation Trust has planned to construct 50 homes for the tsunami victims in the Kottai Kuppam village near Pondicherry. Muslim Aid, a renowned social service organisation recognised by the World Bank (It should be noted that Muslim Aid has been awarded the most largest contract – a contract to construct hundreds and hundreds of houses in the tsunami ravaged Indonesia) will fund the project.

In this regard land has been purchased for the construction of 50 homes in Chinna Kottai Kuppam village.

A foundation stone laying ceremony was held today (10-11-2006) in chinna Kottai Kuppam village. The function was presided over by the chairman of the Islamic Foundation Trust, Mr. H. Abdur Raqeeb. World renowned Islamic scholar and the president of Human Welfare Trust, Dr. Abdul Huq Ansari laid the foundation stone. Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Abdul Huq Ansari said serving to humanity is nothing but serving to God. He quoted the Prophet Muhammad’s saying that the whole humanity is the family of God.

The guest of honour Mr. Ebrahimsa Muhammad, Advisor, Muslim Aid said, “I congratulate the people behind this noble task. They should not stop with building homes. They should rekindle the hopes in the minds of the downtrodden, distressed and poor people”.

Mrs. Banumathy Jayamurthy, the chair person of the Chinna Kottai Kuppam Panchayat assured all sorts of help in building the roads and drainage system. Former chairperson of the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board Mrs. Badr Sayeed lauded the efforts and said that a home to the homeless means a lot. You are not providing him a home; you are giving him a fresh bout of happiness; you are lighting up his life, she said. Mr.Ramanathan, Chinna Kottai Kuppam panchayat executive engineer, Mr. Pazhani, Special Tahsildar and others spoke. Mr. Imran Latheef Sait proposed a vote of thanks.